The time-honored way of showing love in an Italian family is to offer food. Whether we're celebrating, mourning, happy, sad--if we're breathing, there's a table filled with great things to eat. Life's too short, so eat what you love and love what you eat.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

I love brownies! I don't make them often because...I love brownies. I do make them at least once a year for DSO's hunting camp Opening Day dinner. This year I decided to try a new recipe and found this one on the King Arthur website.

I had to sample half of one to make sure they were good. Oh, my, were they ever! I know this will be my go-to brownie recipe from now on. I can imagine one with Godiva chocolate syrup and vanilla bean ice cream on top.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Hasselback potatoes are a fun side dish that I've enjoyed, so when I saw a recipe for Hasselback apples, I thought, "Why not?" The original recipe called for an oatmeal crumble, making the dish something like an apple crisp. While I'm sure that recipe would be delicious, it wouldn't be something that I could indulge in on a regular basis. I decided to eliminate that topping and just kick these baked apples up a notch.

3 large apples, peeled and cored

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Starting at the outer edge, make thin slices at 1/8"-1/4" intervals cutting most (but not all) of the way through each apple half.

Place apple halves, cut side down, in an 8-inch square pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Combine butter, sugar and cinnamon and brush evenly over each apple piece.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes

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TASTE NOTES

These apples were delicious and with just a bit of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon on them, they were very figure-friendly. I may add a lightened oatmeal crumble next time.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

If you've never been on the King Arthur Flour blog, please put it on your list of things to do. This blueberry buckle coffeecake is a straightforward recipe that doesn't disappoint. Use fresh blueberries whenever possible or substitute frozen when you must.

I ran this recipe through the Weight Watcher recipe builder and it comes in at 7 SP per serving, based on cutting the cake into 16 servings. It's an indulgence for me, but well worth it.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

I love Mexican flavors and when I can have that taste without a lot of fat and carbs, it's a win-win situation. I've made a number of versions of this layered chicken enchilada casserole, but what separates this version (based on one I saw on the blog Skinny Chicken) is the sweetness from the honey which contrasts nicely with the acidity of the lemon juice. Here is my take on the SK recipe.

6 servings - 9 SP per serving

Ingredients

2 tablespoons honey

⅓ cup lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, separated

1 teaspoon cumin, separated

1 teaspoon garlic powder, separated

1 teaspoon salt

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

¾ cup fat-free cottage cheese

½ cup fresh corn (off the cob) or frozen and defrosted

12-thin corn tortillas, cut in half

1 cup light cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons scallions, sliced or chopped

1 (10-12 oz) can red enchilada sauce

OPTIONAL: light sour cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a 9 X 13 baking pan and using half the amount of spices listed above, season the chicken thighs on both sides. Roast for 20 minutes, turn chicken, then roast for an additional 20 minutes or until thighs are cooked through. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together honey, lemon juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Shred the chicken and add it along with the cottage cheese and corn, mixing well. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or longer.

4. Coat the bottom of the pan with ¼ cup enchilada sauce. Spread around.Cover bottom of pan with tortilla slices Spoon ⅔ cup of the marinated chicken with some of the juice over the top. Add 4 corn tortillas to cover bottom. They will overlap a bit. Spread ⅔ cup more chicken mixture evenly over tortillas, top with ½ cup shredded cheese. Add another layer of tortillas. Spread with ½ of remaining sauce, add remaining chicken and add a final layer of tortillas. Spread remaining sauce all over top. Sprinkle with ½ cup shredded cheese and scallions. Cover casserole with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

5. Cool a bit and cut into 6 slices.

6. Serve each with 1 tablespoon of sour cream or yogurt dolloped over the top.

Makes 6 servings
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TASTE NOTES
This casserole is a winner. Easy to put together, a mere 30 minutes in the oven, and a generous serving for a light entree--what's not to like? Next time I'll up the protein by including some black beans.

Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 2 -3 minutes on each side (until lightly browned). Remove and keep warm.

In same pan, heat remaining 1 tbs oil. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Add wine to pan and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring to loosen browned bits, until reduced by half. Stir in lemon juice.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Place pasta in large bowl. Add cheese, parsley and toss to combine. Add reserved pasta water as needed to moisten pasta.

Friday, August 19, 2016

Rice with chicken can be found in many cuisines, though most people associate it with Spanish cooking. It's a dish that I've cooked many times, but this particular version, Latin American-style, knocked my socks off. Midway through my preparation, I began to wonder whether this more labor intensive version was worth the trouble. It is! It is! It is! I almost left out the mayonnaise-herb sauce; am I glad I didn't.

Process mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tbs lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 2 tbs sofrito in now empty processor until almost smooth. Transfer this mayonnaise-herb sauce to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels, season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken skin side down and cook without moving it until skin is crispy and golden (7-9 minutes). Flip chicken and cook until golden on that side (another 7-9 minutes). You may need to cook chicken in 2 batches depending on size of your Dutch oven. Transfer chicken to plate and discard the skin.

Remove all but 2 tbs of the fat from the pot and heat over medium until shimmering. Add remaining 1/2 cup onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in rice and Sazon and cook until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.

****************************************TASTE NOTES
I could have eaten much, much more than my cup of rice and 2 thighs (I'd planned on one, but couldn't resist). The brine of the capers and olives, the citric note of the lemons, and, more than anything else, the tantalizing flavors of the sofrito, made this the best arroz con pollo I've ever made or tasted. This Puerto Rican spin on a Latin American classic will remain my signature rice with chicken dish from now on. The leftovers are calling, but I must remain strong!

I think it's ironic that all the years I worked I didn't even own a crockpot. While I still don't use one more than once a month, if that, I'm always on the lookout for healthy recipes I can prepare early in the day. The advantage is that I get most of the clean up done early, I have the whole day to do whatever, and dinner is ready (and usually includes leftovers) at whatever time I choose.

I saw a recipe for these meatballs on Skinnytaste, a blog I follow whose recipes have always been reliable. I knew right off the bat that I would make these in a crockpot--not an instant pot since I don't have one--and that I would double the recipe and freeze a meal for next week. In reviewing the recipe, I also decided not to fry the meatballs, but to bake them, and to add some Mexican crema and cornstarch at the end to make a gravy as opposed to a watery au jus. I made a few other small tweaks from the original recipe.

In a small bowl blend flour and 2 cups of broth until smooth. Mix in other half of sauteed onions, remaining 2 tbs tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard.

Gently shape into 40 small meatballs.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake meatballs 10 minutes. Turn over and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Place meatballs in crock pot. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then pour the sauce over all. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Mix the cornstarch and crema with 1/3 cup of the sauce. Pour slowly back into crockpot, stir, and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and serve over rice or noodles.

Makes 8 servings (5 meatballs per serving for 6 SP)

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TASTE NOTES
I was pleased with this dish. I'd thought the 5 meatballs would be a skimpy serving, but with a half cup of rice and some carrots, it was quite filling. I look forward to the leftovers. I would not have enjoyed the dish without thickening the gravy. It was basically a watery beef broth until I made the slurry. It reminded me of Swedish meatballs, but the vinegar and Dijon added an extra dimension.

Friday, April 22, 2016

I've had a subscription to Cooking Light for a very long time and I'm seldom disappointed when I try one of their recipes. Some may argue that meatloaf is meatloaf, but there are subtle differences and this version is a winner in my book.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Brush top with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup and cook for 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes, then slice into 8 pieces.
*******************************************TASTE NOTES
This is a robust meatloaf that is equally delicious served hot with mashed potatoes and carrots or lukewarm on a Brooklyn Bred bistro roll. The red onion and garlic is assertive, but not overly so, The combination of mustard and ketchup adds a nice balance and the grated cheese is just a subtle afterthought. I will definitely make this again.

Monday, April 18, 2016

One dish dinners seldom disappoint. Spanish-style chicken and rice is no exception, but the calorie count can be daunting. When I found a recipe for arroz con pollo on Skinnytaste, I decided to give it a try. Here is my version--just a few changes made it more to our taste.

Serves 8 (1 thigh with 1 cup of rice) 11 SP

Ingredients:

8 skinless chicken thighs

1 tbsp vinegar

1 pkg Sazon

1/2 tsp Adobo (without pepper is my preference)1/2 tsp garlic powder

3 tsp olive oil, divided

1/2 large onion

1/4 cup cilantro

3 cloves garlic

5 scallions

1/2 red bell pepper

2 1/2 cups long grain rice

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 chicken bouillon cube

salt to taste (about 2 tsp)

Directions:

Season the chicken thighs with vinegar, Sazon, Adobo, and garlic powder and let it sit 10 minutes. Heata large deep heavy skillet or a Dutch oven on medium andadd2 tsp oil when hot. Addchicken and brown 5 minutes on each side.Removeand set aside.

Place onion, cilantro, garlic, scallions and pepper in the bowl of a food processo and pulse 4-5 times. Add remaining teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet and sauté onion mixture on medium-low until soft, about 3 minutes. Add rice, mix well and cook another minute. Add broth and bouillon (be sure it dissolves well), scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add salt to taste.

Add chicken and nestle into rice, bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low until most of the water evaporates and you see the liquid bubbling at the top of the rice line, then reduce heat to low heat and cover. Make sure the lid has a good seal, no steam should escape.

Cook 20 minutes without opening the lid. Shut heat off and let it sit with the lid on an additional 10 minutes. Fluff rice and serve.**********************************TASTE NOTES

I couldn't wait for the rice to cook, this smelled so wonderful. The rice is very flavorful, but not overpowering. The combination of Sazon, Adobo, cilantro, onion, and garlic along with the flavor of the very moist chicken did its magic. That little bit of vinegar that you use to flavor the chicken adds just the right amount of acidity. I would serve this dish to company with no apologies for how it's been lightened.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1 1/2 tsp oil, swirling to coat. Add chicken and cook about 6 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.

Add remaining 1 tbs oil to Dutch oven, swirling to coat. Add leek, carrot, and celery and saute about 5 minutes. Add stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and cook about 8 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Remove thyme. Stir in chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in the lettuce. Place 1 1/2 cups soup in each of 4 bowls and top with the cheese.

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TASTE NOTES

This soup came together very quickly and was fresh and delicious. I must admit I left out the peas because I just don't like them. Every bit as satisfying as my usual recipe for chicken soup, but lighter without sacrificing taste.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

I love when someone else lightens up a recipe or takes a food that I like and remakes it into a healthier option. I've been following Gina's blog for a long time (before she renamed it Skinnytaste and partnered with Weight Watchers) and what I love about it is that her food tastes good and offers normal-sized portions that don't leave you starving.

I tried spaghetti squash for the first time a few years ago and, as was the craze, used it to replace real pasta. Big mistake. I like spaghetti squash, but it will never taste like pasta. I should have just used it as a delicious side dish or experimented with it on my own.

When I saw how Gina used it highlight the flavor profile of enchiladas, I knew this was something we'd enjoy. One of the reasons I don't like one of the other well-known Weight Watcher blogs is because the recipes are for what I call "ersatz" food. They attempt to recreate fast food (why?) using ingredients like Fiber One cereal (AKA tree bark). They don't taste anything like the original and they don't satisfy. This recipe isn't enchiladas and doesn't promise to be, but it has a similar flavor profile and the spaghetti squash is just the vehicle for delivering that flavor.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or two if they don't fit). Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and soft yellow strands. Brush the inside of the squash with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the squash facedown on the baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork.Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the inside so the strands appear.

Add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce to the browned meat. Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce mixture inside each squash bowl ansd top evenly with the cheese. Transfer them to the oven and bake another 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is hot. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cilantro and scallions and serve immediately.

I've made these 3 times now, once for company, and each time they've been a huge hit. They are spicy, filling, and real food that's good for you. I still love a good enchilada, but I do miss the squash component when I eat them.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

If I'm home during the day, I'm apt to watch The View. While I think there's a lot of nonsense that goes on during the show, I watch because I'm a huge fan of Chefs Michael Symon and Mario Batali. During one of last week's show, Michael Symon put together a simple gratin that he deemed a side dish, but that I thought would make an excellent one dish dinner. Of course it would have to be lightened up, but I didn't think that would be a problem. Since I had put up some vacuum-packed bags of spiral ham, I decided to make the dish for Sunday dinner. Here is my version of the dish:

Melt the butter in a deep skillet or pot. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add ham and cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid.

Place sliced potatoes (do NOT soak in water) into the half and half. Stir in the paprika and about 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray an 8 X 10 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer half the potato mixture followed by all of the cabbage and ham mixture. Top with the remaining half of the potato mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

Cover tightly with foil and bake covered for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until the top is nicely browned, Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
***********************************TASTE NOTES
I ran this recipe through the Weight Watchers' recipe builder. One-fourth of the casserole, a very generous serving, was 13 points. It was well worth it. While I've no doubt that additional butter and heavy cream would be delicious, they weren't missed at all. Replacing Chef Symon's deli ham with my spiral ham definitely elevated this dish. As we were eating, I mused aloud that this would be an excellent St. Patrick's Day dish if I just substituted corned beef for the ham and perhaps added some carrots. I'll let you know.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

When I saw this recipe being demonstrated on the Today show, I was a bit skeptical, but it kept turning up online in that persistent way that makes one curious. So...I decided it was worth a try. I found a recipe that would serve as a base, but made substantial changes to it--I didn't like using bacon and bacon grease and I wanted to add my favorite protein, chicken. Here follows my recipe for chicken fried (cauliflower) rice.

Serves 3-4 (as a main course)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 " cubes

1 egg white

1 1/2 tbs cornstarch

1 medium head cauliflower*

1 tsp sesame oil

2 large eggs

*Cut the cauliflower into florets, discarding the tough inner core. Working in batches, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it breaks down into rice-sized pieces. You should have 5 to 6 cups of cauliflower "rice."

Directions

Add the cornstarch to the egg white and whip with a fork until incorporated. Place the diced chicken in the mixture and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

Place a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp sesame oil. Whisk the eggs and pour them into the skillet. Quickly make an omelet. Transfer the eggs to a cutting board and roughly chop into pieces.

Wipe the skillet (or wok) clean and add an inch and a half of water. Bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and use a slotted spoon to separate the pieces. Cook until no pink remains, 3 - 5 minutes. Remove your "velveted" chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Clean the skillet (or wok) and warm 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the carrots and sauté until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Stir peas and cauliflower "rice" into the pan, mixing the ingredients thoroughly.

Lower the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 8 minutes. Uncover and stir in the eggs,scallions, cashews, chicken and 3 tablespoons soy sauce. Taste and add more soy sauce to taste. Serve immediately.

TASTE NOTES

I cannot wait to make this again. First, because it was delicious. Second, because I was only permitted a taste. Unfortnately, I was placed on a low fiber diet for 10 days and could not eat any more of it. While you know that it isn't really rice, it has all the same flavors of a good fried rice and even most of the texture. Of course, it is easily adapted for a vegetarian dish. Likewise, you might decide to add shrimp or pork or beef. My suggestion is to velvet your protein. It makes a huge difference. I know this will be a much-requested dinner.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Baked oatmeal is a bit like eating dessert for breakfast, but I say "go for it!" I saw this recipe on Skinnytaste and made it that day. It far surpasses any other versions I've tried in the past. Past recipes yielded a very hard, dried, cake-like oatmeal. This version reminds me of a bread pudding, though firmer. Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas

Thursday, January 14, 2016

If you're trying to cut back on carbs as well as beef up your consumption of vegetables, a spiralizer is a great investment. I saw this recipe on Skinnytaste and knew I had to make it. I love turnips, but she had me at "au gratin." The recipe is simple and serves 4-6.

Spiralize the carrot, turnips and potato with the thickest noodle setting of your spiralizer, cutting the spirals into 8-inch lengths.In a small saucepan, simmer the milk, half and half, rosemary, and thyme. In a large nonstick pan, melt the butter and saute the chopped onion and garlic in butter for 5 minutes, add 3/4 tsp salt and pepper. Add the ground turkey and cook on medium-high heat until browned, approximately 10 minutes.

Remove thyme and rosemary leaves from milk and pour milk mixture onto turkey, simmer 3 minutes.In a large working bowl combine the spitalized turnips, potatoes and carrots along with meat and the milk mixture, combine well. Pour into a casserole dish, top with scallions, and gruyere cheeseCover with foil and bake 1 hour, uncover and broil on low for 5 minutes, or until golden on top.TASTE NOTESI was very happy with the taste of this dish and the ease of preparation. It should be noted that it is not creamy (the moisture from the veggies keeps it moist) and that the cheese is not ooey-gooey. It just kind of melts into the casserole. I will definitely make this again. The turnips and the herbs gave it wonderful flavor. I was out of scallions, but will make sure to add them next time.